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AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Hello folks.

I bought an AM1H-ITX MB with an AMD 5350 cpu for a new HTPC I am building.
The hardware installation has gone well and the BIOS looks good, detecting the CPU and memory ok.

The problem is that anything I boot off a usd/ssd stalls at the initial load screen and will go no further so I am unable to load or install anything.
I have tried running live/ USB installations for the following but they all stall at the initial load screen.

DSL

Linux Mint

Open ELEC

In addition, my Samsung 830 ssd has Windows 7 from my old PC but when I tried to boot from this it also stalls when loading windows which I guess was very likely to happen given driver incompatibility etc.
Iíve enabled the on board graphics in the BIOS and played around with legacy USB support, CMS etc but am making no progress so I am rather stuck.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

On the new AM1 platform I believe, OS dependent, you'll need to follow the help in THIS thread, especially the link in Post #2 in regard to loading the AMD drivers prior.

#1 - Please, when seeking help, enter the make and model of ALL parts that your system is comprised of in your Signature, or at least the model #'s in your System Specs, then "Save' it.
____If you are overclocking, underclocking, or undervolting any parts, informing us of this and their values would prove beneficial in helping you.

#3 - Please use the eXtreme Outer Vision Power Supply Calculator found HERE to determine if it might be your PSU at issue.
____Consider your PSU to be the foundation from which all else is built upon. Anything built upon a weak foundation is poorly built.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Originally Posted by owens2000

Thanks for the quick response but this may only help with the existing Win 7 install on my ssd.

Lost me there.That link was directed to your attempts at using a linux Live variant, not that existing Win7 install. Certainly not that existing Win7 install. As you've already discovered. If you think your existing Win7 on the SSD will boot and operate properly, or any other way, on this particular MB,, well, you'd be a glutton for punishment. Too much work and hair pulling to even try. Best to do a fresh install by gathering up all the req'd drivers prior and bite the bullet/pull the trigger.

Originally Posted by owens2000

I can't get past the initial screen from any live usb stick I try to boot from.

Again, see the link above. Either that or your building the Live USB improperly somewhere/somehow. Are you sure the available LIVE distros even yet support natively the MBs chipset?

#1 - Please, when seeking help, enter the make and model of ALL parts that your system is comprised of in your Signature, or at least the model #'s in your System Specs, then "Save' it.
____If you are overclocking, underclocking, or undervolting any parts, informing us of this and their values would prove beneficial in helping you.

#3 - Please use the eXtreme Outer Vision Power Supply Calculator found HERE to determine if it might be your PSU at issue.
____Consider your PSU to be the foundation from which all else is built upon. Anything built upon a weak foundation is poorly built.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Originally Posted by - wardog -

Lost me there.That link was directed to your attempts at using a linux Live variant, not that existing Win7 install. Certainly not that existing Win7 install. As you've already discovered. If you think your existing Win7 on the SSD will boot and operate properly, or any other way, on this particular MB,, well, you'd be a glutton for punishment. Too much work and hair pulling to even try. Best to do a fresh install by gathering up all the req'd drivers prior and bite the bullet/pull the trigger.

Again, see the link above. Either that or your building the Live USB improperly somewhere/somehow. Are you sure the available LIVE distros even yet support natively the MBs chipset?

Thanks again for the response. I agree the Windows 7 will definitely cause an issue but I was trying to see if there was a common theme in booting from any of the live distros and a working windows 7 ssd.
In the meantime I have created a Windows 7 install USB from my Win 7 DVD and attempted to install that fresh to the Samsung ssd and I see exactly the same issue i.e. It goes so far and stalls after loading the initial set-up files and when the 'grphics' appear.

I have attached a screenshot for reference, which is where the SSD Win 7 load also stalled.
It looks like this is some sort of internal Graphics issues where the system is unable to display these properly and stalls.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Taking an honest been there done that guess here but that looks like you might have your OS drive connected to one of the ASMedia SATA ports(SATA3_A1 and _A2) instead of one of the two native(SATA3_1 and _2) ports.

If so, you would have needed to F6 pre-install the ASMedia SATA drivers. Try moving if in fact it is on one of the ASM ports to one of the native ports and retry/reinstall.

#1 - Please, when seeking help, enter the make and model of ALL parts that your system is comprised of in your Signature, or at least the model #'s in your System Specs, then "Save' it.
____If you are overclocking, underclocking, or undervolting any parts, informing us of this and their values would prove beneficial in helping you.

#3 - Please use the eXtreme Outer Vision Power Supply Calculator found HERE to determine if it might be your PSU at issue.
____Consider your PSU to be the foundation from which all else is built upon. Anything built upon a weak foundation is poorly built.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Originally Posted by - wardog -

Taking an honest been there done that guess here but that looks like you might have your OS drive connected to one of the ASMedia SATA ports(SATA3_A1 and _A2) instead of one of the two native(SATA3_1 and _2) ports.

If so, you would have needed to F6 pre-install the ASMedia SATA drivers. Try moving if in fact it is on one of the ASM ports to one of the native ports and retry/reinstall.

The SSD is plugged into SATA3_2, but to be clear the image above is from a stalled attempted installation of Windows from a USB thumb driver which happens with or without the SSD plugged in.
Bottom line is that anything I try to install/load from USB bombs when the graphics appear including any live Linux distros, OpenELC or windows 7.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

I agree with wardog about using the ASMedia SATA ports, the native AMD ports are a much better choice. Loading the F6 pre-install driver is a must when using the ASMedia ports, as he said. You also must leave the flash drive with the F6 driver in the PC until the OS installation is complete.

If you have an option, "Aggressive SATA Link Power Management" enabled, disable that at least until the OS is installed.

Did you happen to use a USB 3.0 port for your USB installation flash drive? If so, try a USB 2.0 port, the USB 3.0 ports won't work with Win 7 until their driver is installed.

I'm skeptical about the Windows graphics being the issue, they are simple and I've never had or heard of a failure at that point due to a graphics driver, or a lack of one at that point.

You mentioned CSM, that must be set to Enabled unless you have created a UEFI booting Windows installation USB flash drive.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Originally Posted by parsec

I agree with wardog about using the ASMedia SATA ports, the native AMD ports are a much better choice. Loading the F6 pre-install driver is a must when using the ASMedia ports, as he said. You also must leave the flash drive with the F6 driver in the PC until the OS installation is complete.

If you have an option, "Aggressive SATA Link Power Management" enabled, disable that at least until the OS is installed.

Did you happen to use a USB 3.0 port for your USB installation flash drive? If so, try a USB 2.0 port, the USB 3.0 ports won't work with Win 7 until their driver is installed.

I'm skeptical about the Windows graphics being the issue, they are simple and I've never had or heard of a failure at that point due to a graphics driver, or a lack of one at that point.

You mentioned CSM, that must be set to Enabled unless you have created a UEFI booting Windows installation USB flash drive.

Thanks for the further update and a few pointers to look at there.
CSM is enabled and I also tried a separate UEFI and regular Windows install flash drive without success. Also tried the using the USB 2 and 3 ports.
TBH, it really should not be this complex to get an OS installed. As technology advances it should be making things easier but this combination of flash drivers, specific Sata ports, USB 2 etc is not exactly intuitive.

Re: AM1H-ITX OS install issues

Just an update folks that I have packaged up the MB and CPU to send back to Amazon for a replacement.
Exchanged a few emails with Asrock support and had already tried everything they recommended (many times !) without moving forward. They ultimately said it looks like a MB/CPU Hardware issue.
I even bought some different RAM today to try that, just in case it may have been the problem but the issue persisted.

Apparently Amazon have expedited the replacements so hopefully Version 2 will be attempted later this week.